Dormeo Octasmart Pillow, White, Standard

Product Information

Pure feather pillows – as luxurious as the idea of pure feathers may sound, we’d avoid this type as those pesky feather quills seem to have a way of escaping and stabbing you in the face. It’s also worth noting they don’t offer the support and height needed for side sleepers. Plus, they can be noisy and don’t suit allergy sufferers.

Key features – Filling: Memory foam; Cover: Quilted scuba (neoprene) (machine washable); Sizes: 1 (60 x 35cm, 11/6cm height) Powered by multi-award winning Octaspring® Aerospace technology, the Octasmart® pillow is a smart pillow, featuring our special memory foam springs for optimised support and smart performance cover for the dreamiest cloud-like feel. If memory foam isn’t your thing, don’t worry: we have plenty of microfibre and down recommendations in our main best pillow roundup. Even if you did put time and effort into getting the right pillow the last time around, chances are it needs replacing. Even the best pillows don’t tend to last more than a few years, eventually failing to provide the level of support they used to – and that’s before you even think about the hygiene factor. You probably won’t want to hear this, but within two years of use, a third of a pillow’s weight is made up of dead skin, dirt, oil, dust mites and their droppings. The pillow’s two polyester microfibre layers are encased in a soft padded pillowcase. With both layers inserted, the pillow has a good amount of loft, which is a good thing for side sleepers who need to support their head and shoulder (though we also found the pillow to be comfortable and supportive with just the one insert). While most of the pillows on our roundup have a machine washable cover, you might also be pleased to hear that this pillow – inserts and all – can be popped in the washing machine at a temperature up to 60°C.

Memory foam pillows FAQs

Key features – Filling: Goose down and feathers; Cover: 100% cotton cover (machine washable) Sizes: Standard, superking, square Key features – Filling: Goose down and feathers; Cover: 100% cotton cover (machine washable) Sizes: Standard size and king size Aside from comfort, a good memory foam pillow can contribute to a better night’s sleep in a number of ways. Another appealing feature is the amount of choice you get when it comes to size and feel. It’s available in soft, soft/medium and medium/firm variants, as well as standard (50 x 75cm), superking (50 x 90cm) and square (65 x 65cm) sizes.

We also focus on other key factors including trial periods and washable covers, plus adjustable and ergonomic designs – all of which help us build a clear picture of the product. The best memory foam pillows to buy 1. Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow: Best value memory foam pillow It’s worth adding that you should always take any claims of “cooling” properties with a bit of a pinch of salt. While some bedding undoubtedly offers better heat regulation, no pillow we’ve ever tested will actively cool you down. Panda’s memory foam pillow undercuts many of its rivals on price, including the pillows of online bed-in-a-box companies such as Eve, Otty and Emma. Price aside, though, it’s a very comfortable and supportive pillow, landing somewhere in the middle on the firmness scale. For instance, if you sleep on your side, you may want something with a bit more loft. And if you’re someone who is prone to overheating at night, it’s important to be aware that some pillows – particularly memory foam ones – may feel warmer than others. Different sleepers will get on better with different pillows, and it’s important to bear that in mind when testing. It’s a little bit firmer than the Otty Deluxe, but it’s not so firm that it feels clinical, instead landing somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. It comes with an inbuilt protector, plus a soft, breathable and hypoallergenic bamboo cover (which can be washed at 40°C), which helps you to keep things fresher than washing your pillowcase alone .

A common complaint for many sleepers, and one that is often associated with memory foam, is overheating. Designed with temperature regulation as a top priority, however, REM-Fit’s memory foam Snow Pillow aims to remedy this problem. Some pillows, such as our Evercomfy silver pillows, also contains a silver antimicrobial treatment to help repel bacteria and reduce odours for ultimate bed hygiene, so these might be a good option if you're looking to upgrade your current pillow. The only significant caveat is that to keep the pillow feeling its best, you’ll need to plump it up daily – something that’s not necessary with the foam pillows in this list.

For instance, taking the height of a pillow into consideration is necessary when recommending a pillow for side sleepers, who might want a firmer, more lofty pillow to support their shoulder. How warm a temperature can feel during the night will vary depending on what it’s made from: all-foam pillows, for example, will retain heat more than non-foam ones, making them a less viable option for those prone to overheating. Although washing pillows can help them last longer, even with the very best care your pillow will eventually start to lose its support. Pillows usually last between one to three years depending on the quality, with higher quality pillows lasting the longest. We'd usually recommend changing yours for a new one every three years to make sure you're getting the best night's sleep possible. If you think you need to replace your pillow, our guide on choosing the perfect pillow will help you find the right filling, firmness, and weight for you. The thing is, memory foam has become ubiquitous in today’s mattress and bedding market, with almost every brand under the sun seeming to offer its own foam products. So how is the discerning bedding buyer expected to separate the wheat from the chaff? It’s easy to assume this is irrelevant as you’ll have a pillowcase covering it. But it’s worth noting that natural cover fabrics such as cotton have much more breathability than polyester and other man-made fibres, which can make for a far more comfortable night’s sleep if you’re prone to getting hot at night. How we test pillows

Are memory foam pillows comfortable during hot weather?

Key specs – Filling: Memory foam; Cover: 45% Ice Yarn, 55% polyester (machine washable); Sizes: Standard size only Dormeo uses its unique “octaspring” technology across its range of mattresses, toppers and pillows. As such, the Octasmart Pillow is more than a little reminiscent of, and just as impressive as, the fabulous Octasmart Deluxe topper that appears in our roundup of best memory foam mattress toppers.